UPTOWN — A new arcade bar serving up free games and more than 20 craft whiskeys quietly opened in the heart of the Uptown Entertainment District over the weekend.
Uptown Arcade, 4830 N. Broadway, held a soft opening for friends and family last weekend, said General Manager Aaron Allen, and has been open to the public since then.
"It's not a whiskey-themed bar, but it is geared toward whiskey drinkers," said Allen, an Uptown resident himself.
Along with the craft whiskeys, the bar also includes draft beers, canned beers and, of course, Malort. The draft beer list includes Logan Square-brewed Revolution Anti-Hero IPA and Revolution Eugene Porter, with plans to add seven more beers in the upcoming days, along with about 25 canned beers.
Beers will cost around $6 each, Allen said.
The front room has seating for about 26 people along with a few arcade games. The back room seats about 28 people and houses most of the arcade games.
About 35 total classic arcade games are in the lineup, including Frogger, X-Men, Bad Dudes, Tetris, Dragon's Lair, Missile Command and NBA Jam, Allen said.
And if arcade games aren't your thing, the bar also carries board games.
The "barcade" is in the former Annoyance Theater space on Broadway, the former home of the comedy club that moved to Lakeview in 2013.
"This space worked out really well with the bar in front and arcade in back," said Marketing Director Rebecca Hakanson, who's lived in the neighborhood for almost 15 years.
"This corridor has changed so much in the last few years. It's become a really cool place to hang out," Hakanson said.
While there is no kitchen, customers will be allowed to bring in outside food. Lao Sze Chuan, conveniently located next door, will also deliver to the arcade free of charge, she said.
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